What Does RIDDOR Stand For – UK HSE Reporting Guide

RIDDOR stands for the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013. This UK law sets out the legal requirements for reporting certain workplace incidents to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Understanding what RIDDOR means and when it applies is essential for employers, self-employed individuals, and those responsible for work premises across Great Britain.

The regulations form a cornerstone of the UK’s workplace safety framework. They require specific incidents to be reported so that authorities can collect data, identify emerging risks, and investigate serious matters. This system helps regulatory bodies build a clearer picture of health and safety performance across industries.

Whether you run a small business or manage a large workforce, knowing your RIDDOR obligations matters. Failing to report qualifying incidents can result in enforcement action, including fines and prosecution. This guide explains what the regulations cover, who must report, which incidents require notification, and how to fulfill your legal duties.

What Does RIDDOR Stand For?

The acronym RIDDOR expands to the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations. The current version came into force on 1 October 2013, replacing the earlier 1995 regulations. The change simplified reporting categories while maintaining core duties for those responsible for workplaces.

RIDDOR operates under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and applies to all work activities in Great Britain. Northern Ireland maintains its own separate regulatory framework. The regulations are enforced by the HSE and local authorities, who use reported data to monitor safety trends and target interventions where they are needed most.

Overview of RIDDOR

Acronym

Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations

Authority

HSE (Health and Safety Executive)

Year

2013 (current regulations)

Purpose

Mandatory UK workplace incident reporting

Key Insights

RIDDOR ensures timely reporting to prevent incident recurrence across UK workplaces
The regulations apply to employers, self-employed people, and those in control of premises
Incidents can be reported online through the dedicated HSE portal
Most reports must be submitted within specific deadlines ranging from immediately to 15 days
Records of all incidents must be kept for a minimum of three years
Non-compliance can result in fines, improvement notices, or prosecution
The 2013 updates simplified categories while maintaining strict legal obligations

Snapshot Facts

Attribute	Details
Full Name	Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013
Enforced By	Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
Effective Date	1 October 2013
Legal Basis	Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
Reportable Incidents	Deaths, specified injuries, diseases, dangerous occurrences
Record Keeping	Minimum 3 years
Coverage	Great Britain (excluding Northern Ireland)

What Must Be Reported Under RIDDOR?

The regulations define five main categories of incidents that must be reported. Each category has specific criteria that determine whether reporting is required. Understanding these categories helps responsible persons identify their obligations quickly and accurately.

Deaths

Any work-related fatality must be reported to the HSE immediately. This includes deaths that occur either at the workplace or while someone is carrying out work activities elsewhere. The requirement applies regardless of how much time passes between the incident and the fatal outcome, as long as the death results from a work-related cause.

Specified Injuries

The 2013 regulations replaced the term “major injuries” with “specified injuries” to simplify the framework. These include fractures (except fingers, thumbs, or toes), amputations, permanent reduction in sight, crush injuries causing internal organ damage, serious burns affecting more than 10% of the body or targeting eyes and vital organs, scalping requiring hospital treatment, loss of consciousness from head injury or asphyxia, and injuries sustained in enclosed spaces causing hypothermia, heat illness, or requiring resuscitation or overnight hospital stay.

Over-7-Day Incapacitation

When a worker is unable to carry out their normal routine work for more than seven consecutive days (excluding the day of the incident), this must be reported. The absence threshold was reduced from over-three-day incapacitation in earlier regulations, meaning some incidents that previously required reporting now fall outside the scope.

Reportable Diseases

Occupational diseases diagnosed by a medical professional must be reported once the employer becomes aware. The 2013 regulations simplified the number of reportable disease categories to eight, which include certain cancers, infections linked to occupational exposure, and conditions such as occupational asthma. These should be reported upon diagnosis or when the employer becomes aware of the work-related connection.

Dangerous Occurrences

Near-miss incidents with significant potential for harm also require reporting. The 2013 update reduced the number of reportable dangerous occurrence types, but significant events such as structural collapses, explosions, releases of hazardous substances, and failures of pressure systems remain notifiable even when no injury occurs.

Reporting Thresholds

Over-7-day incapacitation means the worker cannot perform their normal duties for more than seven consecutive days. Weekends and rest days count toward this total. Incidents causing shorter absences generally do not require RIDDOR reporting, though they should still be recorded in your accident book.

When Do I Need to Report Under RIDDOR?

Meeting reporting deadlines is a legal requirement. The timeframes differ depending on the type of incident, and failing to report within the specified period can itself constitute a breach of RIDDOR. Responsible persons should understand these deadlines and build internal processes to ensure compliance.

Reporting Methods

The HSE prefers online reporting through their dedicated portal at www.hse.gov.uk/riddor. This method allows organisations to submit complete information and receive a reference number for their records. For fatalities and major specified injuries, telephone reporting is also available on 0345 300 9923, available Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm.

When calling, organisations should have key details ready, including information about the organisation, location and time of the incident, details of the person affected, and a description of what happened. Online reports require similar information across several form sections.

Reporting Deadlines

Incident Type	Initial Action	Deadline
Death or Specified Injury	Notify HSE as soon as possible	Within 10 days
Over-7-Day Incapacitation	Notify when absence exceeds 7 days	Within 15 days
Dangerous Occurrence	Notify HSE as soon as possible	Within 10 days
Reportable Disease	Report on diagnosis awareness	Without delay

Record Keeping Requirements

Beyond the notification itself, organisations must maintain records of all reportable incidents. This includes events leading to over-three-day absences, even though the reporting threshold was raised to seven days in 2013. Records should be kept for at least three years and must be available for inspection by HSE or local authority inspectors upon request.

Compliance Risks

Delaying reports or failing to maintain adequate records can result in enforcement action. The HSE uses fines, improvement notices, and prosecution to address non-compliance. Even if an incident seems minor, recording it properly protects both workers and the organisation if circumstances change, such as when an injury leads to longer-term complications.

RIDDOR Reporting Examples

Practical examples help illustrate how RIDDOR applies in real workplace situations. The following scenarios demonstrate the difference between reportable and non-reportable incidents based on the regulatory criteria.

Reportable Scenarios

A warehouse worker falls from a height and breaks their leg: Specified injury—report immediately to the HSE.
Construction machinery collapses during operation, nearly striking a passerby: Dangerous occurrence—report within 10 days.
A factory employee develops occupational asthma linked to chemical exposure: Reportable disease—report upon diagnosis or awareness.
An office worker is unable to work for 10 days following a repetitive strain injury: Over-7-day incapacitation—report within 15 days.
Someone dies several weeks after a workplace fall due to injuries sustained: Work-related fatality—report immediately.

Non-Reportable Scenarios

A minor cut requiring basic first aid treatment with no time off work: Not reportable.
An employee is absent for four days following a sprain: Does not meet the over-7-day threshold—record but no reporting required.
A road traffic accident occurs entirely outside work activities: Not work-related—report under different procedures if applicable.
General illness unconnected to workplace conditions: Not reportable under RIDDOR.

Practical Steps

When an incident occurs, assess whether it meets any of the five reportable categories before the end of the working day if possible. Maintain an accident book to record all incidents, then cross-reference with RIDDOR criteria. If reporting is required, submit online or by phone as appropriate and retain the reference number in your records for three years.

RIDDOR Regulations Timeline

The reporting obligations under RIDDOR have evolved over several decades. Understanding the key milestones helps contextualise why the regulations exist and how they have developed to meet changing workplace safety needs.

1985: Original RIDDOR regulations introduced, establishing the framework for mandatory workplace incident reporting in the UK.
1995: RIDDOR updated and expanded, increasing the scope of reportable incidents and introducing the over-three-day incapacitation threshold.
1 October 2013: Current RIDDOR 2013 regulations came into force, simplifying categories, raising the incapacitation threshold to seven days, and reducing dangerous occurrence types while maintaining core duties.
Ongoing: HSE maintains a digital reporting system, with regular updates to online tools and guidance to support compliance.

Understanding Your RIDDOR Responsibilities

Confusion about RIDDOR obligations is common, particularly for smaller organisations or those new to health and safety compliance. The following comparison clarifies what is established under the regulations and what may require case-specific judgement.

Established Information	Requires Case-Specific Assessment
RIDDOR is statutory UK law enforced by HSE	Whether a particular injury is “specified” may depend on medical assessment
Deaths must be reported immediately	Work-relatedness of conditions like stress may need investigation
Records must be kept for 3 years	Whether a dangerous occurrence meets the threshold for reporting
Online and phone reporting methods are available	Whether a subcontractor’s incident is the responsibility of the site controller
Penalties exist for non-compliance	How internal policies interact with RIDDOR requirements

For specific situations not clearly covered by general guidance, consulting the official HSE definitions page or seeking professional advice is recommended. The HSE also provides the INDG453 leaflet as a practical summary for smaller organisations.

RIDDOR in the UK Health and Safety Framework

RIDDOR does not exist in isolation. It forms part of a broader system of health and safety regulation in the UK, working alongside requirements such as the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations and risk assessment obligations under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations.

The data collected through RIDDOR reports enables the HSE to build a national picture of workplace safety. This information informs policy decisions, targeted inspections, and industry-specific guidance. Employers with 100 or more employees have additional obligations to maintain a written accident book, while all organisations benefit from systematic incident review to identify patterns and prevent recurrences.

For employers navigating multiple regulations, RIDDOR reporting should be integrated into wider health and safety management systems rather than treated as a separate administrative task. Regular review of incidents, alongside proactive risk assessment, supports both legal compliance and worker protection.

Official Sources and References

The following resources provide authoritative guidance on RIDDOR requirements and should be consulted for detailed compliance information.

RIDDOR puts duties on employers, the self-employed and people in control of work premises to report certain workplace accidents, deaths, injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences to the Health and Safety Executive.

— Health and Safety Executive

The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR) require responsible persons to notify the HSE of certain incidents. The regulations aim to enable data collection on accidents and ill health at work, identify where risks arise, and support investigations by HSE and local authorities.

— Official HSE Guidance (INDG453)

The full text of the regulations is available on the legislation.gov.uk website, providing the complete legal wording for those who need to interpret specific provisions.

Key Takeaways on RIDDOR Reporting

RIDDOR stands for the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013, a key part of UK workplace safety law. Employers, self-employed individuals, and those in control of work premises must report deaths, specified injuries, over-7-day incapacitation, reportable diseases, and dangerous occurrences to the HSE within specified deadlines. Records must be maintained for at least three years.

Understanding which incidents require reporting, meeting deadlines, and keeping adequate records protects both workers and organisations. The HSE provides comprehensive online resources, reporting tools, and guidance through their website. For those exploring related UK regulations and requirements, resources such as Class 2 National Insurance and Road Tax My Car provide additional context on statutory obligations affecting UK residents and businesses.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get a copy of a RIDDOR report?

Once submitted, reports are stored in the HSE database. Organisations can request copies by contacting the HSE directly through their official channels. Maintaining your own records with reference numbers from the online system provides the most accessible documentation for future reference.

Where can I access the RIDDOR Regulations 2013 PDF?

The full legal text is available on legislation.gov.uk. Search for “RIDDOR 2013” or use the SI number (2013/1471) to locate the regulations in their current form.

How do I access the HSE RIDDOR register?

The HSE does not provide a public register for individual organisations to access other companies’ reports. However, aggregated statistics are published periodically. For your own records, use the reference numbers generated when submitting reports and maintain your accident book independently.

What is the difference between a specified injury and a minor injury under RIDDOR?

Specified injuries are serious conditions listed explicitly in the regulations, including fractures, amputations, and permanent sight loss. Minor injuries such as small cuts or bruises that do not require significant treatment or time off work are not reportable under RIDDOR.

Can I report a RIDDOR incident by email?

The HSE prefers online reporting through their portal as the standard method. Phone reporting is available for fatalities and major specified injuries. Email is not listed as an official reporting channel, though organisations experiencing difficulties with online submission should contact HSE for guidance.

Does RIDDOR apply to Northern Ireland?

No. RIDDOR 2013 applies to Great Britain only. Northern Ireland has its own regulatory framework under the Health and Safety at Work (Northern Ireland) Order 1978, administered by the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI).

What happens if I do not report a qualifying incident?

Non-compliance with RIDDOR can result in enforcement action from the HSE, including improvement notices, prohibition notices, fines, or prosecution. The severity of penalties depends on factors including the nature of the incident and whether the failure was deliberate or due to inadequate systems.